Emergency dispatcher keeps Chatham woman out of burning home

CHATHAM -- Sangamon County emergency dispatchers talked a Chatham woman out of going back into her home after her furnace caught on fire Wednesday.

Firefighters responded to the mobile home in the 400 block of East Locust Street about 4:40 p.m. The woman called rescuers after she woke up and saw flames coming from her furnace, Chatham Fire Chief Philip Schumer said.

The woman was able to get out of the home safely, but then told emergency dispatchers that she wanted to go back inside to save some photographs.

The emergency dispatcher was able to convince the woman to stay outside and wait for the fire department.

“They talked her out of going back in,” Schumer said. “She made the wise choice of listening to the dispatcher. The dispatcher did a fantastic job of keeping her calm and out of the structure.”

The fire was contained to the furnace. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze with an extinguisher.

Schumer said that if the furnace could be repaired, the woman would be able to return to her home right away. If not, the she would stay with family.